Horatio Alger Mississippi Scholarship Program

Scholarship Amount

Application Deadline

Description

Income Verification: Dependent Student or Independent Student 1. Independent Students do not need to provide verification of income; however, they will be required to verify their status as an Independent student by providing copies of a courtâs decision that as of today the student is an emancipated minor, ward/dependent of the court, or is in legal guardianship/foster care. 2. Dependent Students have one or more legal parent (biological and/or adoptive) or stepparent and does not meet any of the criteria for an Independent Student. The following people are not your parents unless they have legally adopted you: grandparents, foster parents, legal guardians, older brothers or sisters, and uncles or aunts. Dependent Students are required to verify a household Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $55,000 or lower by submitting official income documentation. If your household AGI exceeds $55,000 for the 2013 or 2014 tax year, regardless of the number of dependents in the home, you do not qualify for our program.

High School Transcript

Applicants are required to provide a copy of their current high school transcript. The transcript must be uploaded through the studentsâ online application

Citizenship Verification Document: Applicants not born in the United States but who are United States citizens are required to verify their citizenship by uploading one of the following documents to their online application: 1. Copy of the photo ID page from students' United States issued passport which includes their full name; OR 2. Copy of students' citizenship certificate. If they do not have a certificate but their parents are United States citizens then please submit a copy of a parentâs citizenship certificate; OR 3. Copy of Consular Report of Birth Abroad

Certification Form is used to verify the studentsâ academic information (i.e. GPA, class ranking, coursework, etc.) and Independent/Dependent Student status. Below is an outline of how this process works.

Support Form an online form that must be completed by an adult over the age of 21 who is not related to the student. This person should be familiar with and verify all of the information the student has entered into the Adversity Section of the application.

Provide the name and email address of their academic counselor. Once submitted, an email will automatically be generated and sent to the counselor with information on how to complete the Certification Form on behalf of the student. Follow the steps below to ensure the online Support Form is completed successfully: 1. Complete the Adversity Section and lock this section once complete. 2. Once the Adversity Section is locked the student must identify one Support Form Provider by entering the personâs name, email address, and other contact information requested. 3. Once the Support Form Provider has been identified, an email is automatically generated and sent to the Provider. This email contains instructions and a passcode to complete the online Support Form. 4. Students are encouraged to notify their Support Form Provider that they will receive this email from the Association.

ESSAY: There are a total of four essays within our application; three (3) are located under the Adversity and Support section and one (1) is in the Personal Statement section. The three (3) Adversity and Support essay questions accept a maximum of only 150 words and ask about the following. 1. Describe the impact adversity has had on the applicantâs life. 2. Describe how the applicant has overcome those adversities, as well as about the person or organization who has had the most positive impact in helping them overcome those events. 3. What lessons has the applicant learned, or personal insight have they gained, that helped them prevent their adversity from having a negative impact on their present and future. 4. Lastly, applicants must provide a personal statement of 50â200 words in which they compare elements of an Association Member's life with their own.

Requirements

Must be enrolled full time as a high school senior in Mississippi; be progressing normally toward graduation in spring/summer of 2015 with plans to enter a college in the United States no later than the fall following graduation

Must exhibit a strong commitment to pursue and complete a bachelorâs degree at an accredited non-profit public or private institution in the United States (students may start their studies at a two-year institution and then transfer to a four-year institution)

Must demonstrate critical financial need ($55,000 or lower adjusted gross family income is required)